This book reviews the wealth of research addressing the key role grasslands play in animal health, product quality and the sustainability of agriculture as a whole. It discusses ways of optimising grassland composition and management, including regional case studies on grassland management in practice.
While grasslands face a number of challenges, such as encroachment from intensive farming and the impact of climate change, there is a growing recognition of the key role they can play in supporting the transition to more resilient, sustainable and circular agricultural systems.
Advances in temperate grassland science and management reviews the wealth of research addressing these challenges and opportunities, focussing on the role of grasslands in agricultural systems and, in particular, in improving livestock health and product quality. It summarises recent research on grassland composition and management in optimising the contribution it can make, including regional case studies on grassland management in practice.
This book builds on a successful earlier volume by Burleigh Dodds Science: Improving grassland and pasture management in temperate agriculture (2018).
- Provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research in grassland science and management
- Includes a selection of case studies which highlight current challenges facing alpine/mountain grasslands, as well as grasslands in Europe and New Zealand
- Discusses recent developments in botanical composition of grasslands, including the design of multi-species swards and herbal leys
Part 1 The role of grasslands in agricultural systems
1.The societal role of grasslands: the case of northwest Europe: N. van
Eekeren, J. de Wit, M. van den Hout, M. Bruinenberg, J. Pijlman and N.
Hoekstra, Louis Bolk Institute, The Netherlands;
2.Grasslands and climate change: Martin Lukac and Chris Reynolds, University
of Reading, UK;
3.Harnessing the power of grasslands in mixed farming/croplivestock systems:
F. Taube, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Germany and Wageningen
University, The Netherlands; J. K. Nyameasem, Christian-Albrechts-University
Kiel, Germany and University of Bonn, Germany; and S. Verma,
Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Germany and Aarhus University, Denmark;
Part 2 Grassland dynamics and management
4.Plantsoilanimal interactions and nutrient cycling in grazed grasslands:
Lynn E. Sollenberger, University of Florida, USA; Marta M. Kohmann,
University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA; K. Roger Trumpp and Jose C.B. Dubeux,
Jr, University of Florida, USA;
5.Advances in grazing management: Michael O'Donovan, Teagasc, Ireland;
6.The use of precision technologies in grassland management: Laurence Shalloo
and Paula Molina Palma, Teagasc, Ireland; and Deirdre Hennessy, University
College Cork, Ireland;
7.The long path from data collection to sustainable grassland management:
Nina Buchmann, ETH Zurich, Switzerland; Panu Korhonen, Natural Resources
Institute Finland, Finland; Carsten Stefan Malisch, Aarhus University,
Denmark; and Paul Newell Price, ADAS, UK;
8.From data collection to decision support tools for the sustainable
management of grasslands: Magali Jouven, Institut Agro Montpellier, France;
Audrey Michaud, VetAgro Sup, France; and Pascal Carrère, INRAE, France;
9.Advances in managing grassland weeds: Maria-Teresa Sebastià, Forest Science
and Technology Centre of Catalonia University of Lleida (UdL-CTFC), Spain;
Ana Fossas, Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), Spain;
and Cristina Chocarro, University of Lleida (UdL-Agrotecnio), Spain;
Part 3 Grasslands, grazing and animal nutrition: effects on health and
product quality
10.Quantifying forage quality to improve nutrient use efficiency in ruminant
feeding: Martin Gierus, BOKU University, Austria;
11.The effects of pasture grazing on milk quality: Anjo Elgersma, Independent
Scientist, The Netherlands;
12.Grasslands and One Health: the human health component: Frédéric Leroy,
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium; Peter J. Ballerstedt, Grass Based Health
LLC, USA; and Stefaan De Smet, Ghent University, Belgium;
Part 4 Development in botanical composition of grasslands
13.Improving biodiversity in agricultural grassland systems: Irina Herzon,
University of Helsinki, Finland; James M. Bullock, UK Centre for Ecology and
Hydrology, The UK; Jean-Yves Humbert and Raphaël Arlettaz, University of
Bern, Switzerland; Péter Török, University of Debrecen, Hungary; and Karin
Stein-Bachinger, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research,
Germany;
14.Designing and developing multispecies swards for future grassland systems:
Shona Baker and Thomas Moloney, Teagasc and DLF Ireland, Ireland;
15.Plantain (Plantago lanceolata): from weed to multi-functional component in
sustainable dairy-farm systems: Ina (J.B.) Pinxterhuis, DairyNZ, New Zealand;
Mike (M.B.) Dodd, AgResearch, New Zealand;
16.Advances in Epichloë endophyte plant secondary metabolites in grasslands:
David E. Hume and Sarah C. Finch, AgResearch Limited, New Zealand; Alan V.
Stewart, PGG Wrightson Seeds Limited, New Zealand; and John R. Caradus,
Grasslanz Technology Limited, New Zealand;
Part 6 Case studies
17.Grasslands in Europe: current status, emerging challenges, and pathways to
sustainable futures: A. Van den Pol-van Dasselaar, Aeres University of
Applied Sciences, The Netherlands; D. Hennessy, University College Cork,
Ireland; and J. Isselstein, University of Göttingen, Germany;
18.Challenges facing alpine/mountain grasslands: Giovanni Peratoner, Laimburg
Research Centre, Italy; Caren M. Pauler and Manuel K.Schneider, Agroscope,
Switzerland; Vibeke Lind, NIBIO, Norway; Andreas Klingler and Andreas
Schaumberger, AREC Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Austria; Enrico Sturaro, University
of Padova, Italy;
19.Grasslands in New Zealand: challenges and solutions: David R. Stevens,
AgResearch Ltd, New Zealand;
20.Conclusion: pathways to resilient temperate grasslands: Agnes van den
Pol-van Dasselaar, Aeres University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands;
Dr Agnes van den Pol-van Dasselaar is Professor of Grasslands and Grazing at Aeres University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands, where she has worked since 2015. Previously, she spent over 20 years at Wageningen University & Research. She is an internationally recognised expert whose research spans grazing, ecosystem services, grass and forage management, greenhouse gas emissions, and sustainable production systems, with a focus on how farmers mindsets and environments shape ecosystem services. She is actively engaged in the European Grassland Federation, serving as Grazing Working Group Chair for 14 years, President, and currently as Federation Secretary and Scientific Advisory Board member. Her leadership bridges fundamental and applied research with on-farm practice, connecting scientists, farmers, advisers, students, and industry in sustainable grassland management.
